Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta insists it was the “best decision” to let Ethan Nwaneri go out on loan in the January transfer window despite suffering a couple of injuries since his move to Marseille.Â
The winger joined the French outfit until the end of the season to get more gametime. He has already made four starts for the Olympians, which is as many as he had gotten in all competitions for the Gunners in the first half of the campaign.
Arsenal have since been hit by injuries to key players, with Mikel Merino and Kai Havertz joining Max Dowman on the treatment table. Merino is set to sit out several months after undergoing surgery on a foot injury, while Havertz suffered a muscular injury shortly after making his return from a long-term layoff.
There was no recall clause in the loan deal with Marseille, meaning Nwaneri cannot return to provide injury cover. Speaking ahead of the FA Cup fourth round clash with Wigan Athletic on Sunday, Arteta maintained it was the correct decision to let him leave on a temporary basis.
Arsenal have no regrets over Ethan Nwaneri transfer decision
Asked if it was an error to send the player out on loan, the Basque coach replied: “That’s easy to say. After making the decision, who could have predicted that Mikel was going to be out for five months and Kai?
“It’s unfortunate, at the end we have to make the decisions on the moment, understanding the context there, and the best decision for the club, for Ethan, for sure it was for him to go and experience a different environment, have minutes played, and getting ready to come back to us.”
Another cause for concern for Arsenal is the recent sacking of Roberto De Zerbi. The Italian head coach was one of the main reasons Nwaneri made the move in the first place.
Arteta said: “Well I cannot control that, again it’s a decision, and that’s part of playing on loan, and that’s part of a journey of a football player. So you’re going to have to work with different coaches, and that can happen any moment, you cannot control that, you cannot avoid that.
“Yes, one of the reasons for sure it was Roberto, but as well it was Marseille, and what Marseille as a club and as an environment brings to Ethan, and I think that’s going to be still very positive.”
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